Brendan Sorsby Details Gambling Addiction That Ended College Career

In a new Paramount+ documentary, “The Program: Texas Tech”, Brendan Sorsby expressed “remorse” and “regret” over the gambling problem that ultimately ended his college football career. Brendan Sorsby, while he was a member of the Cincinnati Bearcats, during a game against the Utah Utes last November. (Image: Bryan Byerly/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) Sorsby transferred from Cincinnati to Texas Tech last January as one of the most highly regarded quarterbacks in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). An NCAA investigation found he had placed more than 9,000 wagers worth at least US$90,000 during his college career. Those bets included at least 40 supporting Indiana while he was in the program, although he said none were on games in which he played. Gambling Begins in High School In the documentary, Sorsby talked about all of that – how he actually started gambling in 2018, while he was at Lake Dallas High School in Corinth, Texas. “I liked gambling,” he said. “I couldn’t watch a sporting activity without having a stake … having some skin in the game. We had a casino on the other side of the border, and you only had to be 18.” Sorsby attended Indiana University from 2022 to 2023, then transferred to the University of Cincinnati for 2024-25 before moving to Texas Tech. Texas Tech Deal Unravels “I gambled all throughout my time at Indiana,” he said. “Pretty much all throughout my time in Cincinnati. I made some mistakes, especially early on, betting on my own team, which everybody knows.” When he got to Texas Tech, it was the “same deal”, even though he was making more money than he ever did in his life, agreeing to a name, image and likeness (NIL) package worth $5 million for the 2026 season. “No reason at all to gamble, and yet I still did it,” he said in the documentary. “You’re chasing a dopamine hit, and that’s where you lose yourself. There’s a reason that with gambling, out of any other addiction, you have the highest suicide rate, because people bury themselves in holes that they feel they can’t get out of.” Court Fight Restored Eligibility The documentary goes behind the scenes at the school and in Texas Tech team meetings as the Sorsby news played out, leading into training camp for the new college season after Sorsby stepped away from the program. In April, Sorsby acknowledged having a gambling addiction and stepped away from Texas Tech to go through a treatment program. After the NCAA permanently revoked his remaining college eligibility, Sorsby then challenged it through his lawyers and regained his eligibility through a Texas court injunction. Big 12 Raised Stakes The Big 12 sued Texas Tech over whether the conference could sanction the school if Sorsby played. Once the Big 12 lawsuit against Texas Tech was deemed too big a hurdle, Sorsby dropped his NCAA challenge, and the Big 12 later withdrew its lawsuit. Sorsby tried to enter the National Football League (NFL) via a supplemental draft this past summer, but the league declined to hold one. A letter from Lawrence Ferazani, general counsel of the NFL Management Council, was critical of Sorsby, saying his petition to enter the Supplemental Draft didn’t demonstrate accountability for his conduct or indicate whether Sorsby would adhere to the NFL’s rules governing integrity of competition. NFL Supplemental Draft Route Closed Sorsby is sitting out the 2026 season and will be eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft. And on Sept. 2, the NCAA cleared the University of Cincinnati of any wrongdoing in its handling of Sorsby. The documentary features interviews with players, staff, Texas Tech Red Raiders head coach Joey McGuire, and Sorsby after a Texas judge reinstated him and he looked to return to the team. There’s also a scene when McGuire gets up in front of the team to announce that Sorsby was stepping away. Documentary Covers Ordeal As It Happened “I was walking around the facility, and nobody knew I had a problem gambling,” said Sorsby. “I know how quickly you can lose money. I know how quickly things can go wrong. Everything can get ripped from you. “Once [the news] finally came out, I was on the phone with my parents and agent, and I’m sitting there bawling my eyes out,” he said. “In my head, I’m thinking, I just threw everything I’ve worked for my entire life out the window. It’s over. Coach McGuire and I sat down in his office, and there were a lot of tears shed between the two of us.” The post Brendan Sorsby Details Gambling Addiction That Ended College Career appeared first on Casino.org.